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Martha McCarter, 14, left, reloads while R.J. Winslow, 11, right, aims for the target during Saturday morning's blowgun competition, part of the annual Cherokee National Holiday. The competition was held at the Cherokee Heritage Center. Josh Newton
Five-year-old Jack Vance, of Tahlequah, waits patiently in hopes of feeling the nibble of a fish. Vance, and many other youth, participated in Saturday’s Cherokee National Holiday Children’s Fishing Derby near the Cherokee Nation complex. Josh Newton

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September 7, 2010

A weekend filled with traditional Cherokee activities drew thousands of visitors from around the world.

By JOSH NEWTON Staff Writer The Tahlequah Daily Press Tue Sep 07, 2010, 09:47 AM CDT

TAHLEQUAH — Side-by-side, just west of the Cherokee Heritage Center on Saturday morning, 11-year-old R.J. Winslow and 14-year-old Martha McCarter prepared for battle.

Martha took a dart nearly 10-inches long and placed it inside her blowgun, which itself was several feet long. The gun was raised, and she focused on the target several yards away. Seconds later, the dart shot through the air and stuck into the target.

“I love everything about [this competition],” said Martha, who took first-place in the children’s blowgun competition. “My dad [Danny McCarter] is really good, and that’s where I learned.”

Martha has spent at least half her life participating in blowgun competitions, and will move from the youth competition next year.

“I have to shoot with the women, then,” she said.

But she doesn’t worry about competing with the adult women, because she’s been there, and done that.

“I competed with the women and the youth in the Keetoowah competition, and won first in both,” said Martha, of Tahlequah. “It’s just fun. I’ve done this every year for like, a long time.”

Meanwhile, R.J. competed for his first time, and when finished, received kudos from others who’d watched. They expressed how well he’d shot the blowgun, and invited him back next year.

“I’ve been studying and practicing,” said R.J., of Tailholt. “I just thought I would like to try it. I like the fun of it.”

During the traditional game competition, part of the annual Cherokee National Holiday, children are grouped together, and men and women each compete in separate categories. Blowguns were traditionally used for hunting small game, but now are usually used for demonstrations or competitions.

Points are determined by the various values of the rings surrounding the target’s bull’s-eye.

Blowgun competitions weren’t the only activity for the thousands of visitors to experience over the holiday. Other events included stickball games, a powwow, a cornstalk shoot, a horseshoe pitch, marbles, fiddlers contest and more.

Dozens of youth gathered Saturday morning near the Cherokee Nation complex, south of Tahlequah, for the annual children’s fishing derby.

Sitting along the edge of the water, brothers Jeffery, 11; James, 7; and Jack Vance, 5; cast into the pond in hopes of reeling in a fish. About an hour after the tournament started, Jeffery and Jack continued to fish, while James took a seat and enjoyed watching his brothers angle for a big catch.

“Did you get one?” James questioned. Jeffery tugged quickly, but the line suddenly went loose.

Jack, meanwhile, gave his Toy Story fishing pole a quick look over, inspecting the reel and the line, before tossing it back in.

“We come out every year,” said their mother, Laura, of Tahlequah. “We haven’t caught any so far this year, but the last years we’ve been here, we’ve been in second place, so it’s OK.”

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